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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27757939">Radio Silence</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arsenick/pseuds/Arsenick'>Arsenick</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys - My Chemical Romance (Album)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Fluff, Non-Linear Narrative, Slow Burn, hope u like it, its not gonna be super long tho, quite a bit of plot too, sorry im bad at tagging, there's a lot of killjoy slang, there's some angst, this is my first fic sO, tw blood, tw character death, tw swearing, tw violence, wlw who cant communicate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:35:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,501</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27757939</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arsenick/pseuds/Arsenick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Two killjoys, Stereo Threads and Static Wires, living out in the zones.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character/Original Female Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>so this is the first chapter! the next chapter will probably be added sometime soon. Here's the killjoy slang dictionary i used for this fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13652730/chapters/31357383</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stereo Threads squinted at stitches in the jacket she was working on. The glare from the zones sun kept reflecting off her needle, burning her eyes. She needed to finish this name tag soon, but her fingers were sore from sewing. Grumbling, she pulled off her gloves and flexed her fingers. It wasn’t easy to sew with gloves, but it was a pain to take them off. They were black leather with a green V on the front and they went all the way past her elbows. She had pulled them out of a garbage heap in zone six, along with matching boots that went up to her knees. They were a lucky catch, and she treasured them as much as the bright pink tool belt she had stitched for herself. She sat up and stretched out her legs, walking over to where Static Wires was working on the Bone Jeep. They had found the baby carriage out in zone five, and Wires had fixed it up. It was really a skeleton of a car, the windows all blown in. The only thing that was left was the frame, but Wires had fixed it up to run again. Sometimes they’d pick up some tumbleweeds and get a couple carbons for their trouble.</p>
<p>“Got a four double one for me, gearhead?” Threads said, hitting the hood of the Bone Jeep. Wires slid out from under the baby carriage, streaks of grease in her long, fluorescent yellow hair. </p>
<p>“Why don’t you drive streetside, Threads. I’ve told you to stop bugging me,” Wires said, a look of frustrated annoyance on her face.</p>
<p>“Ooh, look who’s showing tongue today. I just wanted to check on ya. Sun up.”</p>
<p>“Fine. The heater’s giving me trouble.” She sat up, adjusting her red leather name tag. “It quit yesterday, and it won’t start up again. It’s not urgent, but I want to fix it sometime soon. Even though it’s crazy hot, it gets frosty overnight, and you get cold quick. I could probably fix it if I got some parts.”</p>
<p>“Well, we should probably drive to the daydream diner tomorrow. We’ve only had birch for weeks, and we’re out of that, too. I can get some clothes to repair, get a couple carbons for the ones I’ve fixed.”</p>
<p>“Okay. Well, it’s getting dark, and I’m not gonna fix the heater today, so you might want to start a fire. We have some branches and cardboard in the back, along with the blankets.” Wires stood up and pulled her bike helmet over her head. All killjoys owned some sort of mask, and Wires’ was a pink bike helmet with the word ‘run’ spray-painted in white over the visor. Threads, always one for practicality, had a piece of black cloth she had cut eye holes in and tied around her face. After all, every killjoy knew to die with their mask on.</p>
<p>“We could’ve sold that wood….” Threads grumbled, stepping up into the Bone Jeep and unlocking the plastic crates strapped to the floor of the backseat.</p>
<p>“Well, too bad. You know it gets cold quick after sundown, and the heater isn’t fixed. That vest won’t stop the frostbite, no matter how much you love it, dust darling” Threads muttered to herself about the waste of wood while digging the matches out, pulling her denim vest closer around her shoulders. </p>
<p>Thirty minutes later, Threads had gotten a fire started, and the temperature had dropped from scorching to freezing. Threads and Wires huddled around the fire, trying to ignore the empty hole in their stomachs. </p>
<p>“Do we have any gum left?” Wires said, standing up and ruffling Threads’ short blue hair. </p>
<p>“There’s only grape left. You can have it. Reminds me of Medication.” Wires nodded and got up, pulling the blanket around herself and shivering against the cold. </p>
<p>“Sometimes I forget you’re a Batt Rat,” Wires said. Threads flinched at the derogatory term. </p>
<p>“Please don’t call me that,” she said quietly.</p>
<p>“Fine, my little Batt outta hell. It’s not my fault you’re not a compass rose.” Threads shot her a look. </p>
<p>“It might seem fine coming from you, but it’s practically calling someone center-city coming from a halo head.” </p>
<p>“Okay, okay,” Wires leaned her head against Threads’ shoulder, and within three minutes, her breathing had steadied. Threads pulled the blanket tighter around both of them and pushed Wires’ hair out of her face. Wires drop-dead floral when she was asleep, not that she wasn’t gorgeous when she was awake. Threads sighed. If only she had the courage to say that to Wires’ face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning they packed their crates. The sun was already beating down on them, even though it was barely past the alarm clock radiation, so Threads tied a blanket to the frame of the Bone Jeep to give them some shade while they drove. Wires floored the gas, the tires screeching on the desert sand. </p>
<p>“Get the radio, dust bunny. Put on the diner station. I wanna know the sales before we get there.” Threads opened the compartment near her feet and pulled out an old radio, reaching past maps with markings of their favorite haunts to grab it. It was easy to get lost in the desert, so writing landmarks on maps helped them find their way around. She closed the compartment. The radio in her hand used to be an official BL/Ind one, and it even had a MouseKat sticker on the back. But that must’ve been a while ago, seeing as they had bought it at the daydream diner. The paperboy said they had gotten it off a ghosted killjoy. Threads stretched out the antenna, turning the dial until a voice came through the static.</p>
<p>“...All pink hair dye half off, today only! And two carbons off select birch for three more days! Now, over to Neon Mile with the traffic.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Hidden Wind. Well, it looks like a cloud’s been coming in on the east side of zone six, near Dead Pegasus number 9. Getaway mile’s clear for now, but be careful on the picket fence of zone three, as there’ve been rumors of a cavalry. Some Pigs have also been sniffing ‘round Saguaro lane, so don’t blame me if things get Costa Rica. Real Orwell out there. Take it breezy, folks. Back to you, Wind.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Neon Mile. Now-” Wires slammed the brakes, almost making Threads’ head slam into the dashboard. “By Destroya, Wires, what-” Threads looked up and saw a group of people running over. Wires stood up on her seat and started waving her arms. </p>
<p>“System Strychnine! Toxic Tragedy! Agent Arsenic! How’s the static been treating ya?”</p>
<p>Threads stood up and smiled. The Poisons were a band of female killjoys that walked in the same circles as them, and they were good friends with Wires and Threads. The Poisons didn’t have a vehicle and a group of killjoys less than four was unusual, so traveling together was often mutually beneficial. Threads and Wires got asked if their gang was ghosted a lot, so riding with the Poisons let them avoid those questions. And everyone in the gang was real sunny, too.</p>
<p>Agent Arsenic, a girl with red-streaked brown hair, climbed into the Bone Jeep. </p>
<p>“Mind if we hitch a ride? Where ya going?” </p>
<p>“Just up to the diner.”</p>
<p>“That’s where we were heading!”</p>
<p>“Well, hop on in then.” Dawn stood up and shouted to the rest of the gang.</p>
<p>“C’mon, guys!” They all piled in, sitting cross-legged in the back or standing up and holding on to the frame. Threads squinted at everyone.</p>
<p>“Hold up, who’s the puppy? ” she said, nodding at someone she hadn’t seen before.</p>
<p>“That’s Vintage Venom, fresh outta Batt city. C’mon, introduce yourself. Threads won’t bite.” Venom lifted her head up. </p>
<p>“I hit the red line outta Batt City a couple weeks ago, and I met these guys after crawling my way through the early zones. There’s been some kind of Halo Head movement, real sour. Wanted to get away from it, so I met up with these guys in zone five and they took me in.” Threads and Wires exchanged a look. Halo Heads were always trouble.</p>
<p>“Any pronouns, kid?” Wires asked Venom.</p>
<p>“She/her will be fine, thanks,” Venom replied. Wires nodded and hit the gas.</p>
<p>“Any particular reason you’re heading to the diner?” Wires shouted against the wind.</p>
<p>“We’re thinking of getting a ray gun for Venom, and we need more ElectroKats for our radio,” Silver Cyanide said, leaning on Arsenic’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Well, if you end up getting a blaster, buy a busted-up one and I’ll fix it up for you, free of charge.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Wires.” They rode in silence for a few minutes after that, except for Cyanide and Arsenic talking to each other quietly. They were the babysitters of the group and had started dating recently. Threads turned to Wires.</p>
<p>“Have you heard anything about these Halo Heads?”</p>
<p>“No, but it can’t be good.”</p>
<p>“You don’t have anything to worry about. You’re a sand pup. It’s the Batt outta hells like me that are gonna be turned away from stores and gangs if they spread ideas.”</p>
<p>“Well, we don’t know the details. Even if it is real, it’ll probably die out in a couple of days.” Threads nodded in agreement, but she was uneasy for the rest of the ride.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Pssst. Ida.” Ida glanced sideways at Anna, a small girl with freckles and orange-brown hair. </p><p>“Shush! You’re not supposed to interrupt the teacher when she’s reading to us!” Ida said, her low voice laced with panic.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. But I want to show you what I found on the streets yesterday, and I haven’t had a chance all day.” She reached inside her backpack and pulled out a magazine. Ida took it gently in her hands. Flipping through it, she could see it wasn’t really a magazine. The pages were filled with color, and instead of blocks of text, there were drawings of people. </p><p>“My sister used to own something like this before she ran away. She called them ‘comics.’ They look really old, like from before the analog wars,” Anna said, in a hushed voice. “You won’t tell anyone, will you? You’re my best friend…” Ida looked at her cloying smile with worry.</p><p>“You shouldn’t have anything that’s not BL/Ind issued. These are dangerous,” Ida said.</p><p>“Girls! If you keep talking, I will report you.” Ida and Anna’s heads snapped up and in a moment of panic, Ida shoved the comic into her backpack.</p><p>“Sorry, ma’am.”</p><p>That night, when Ida unpacked her school bag, she found the comic book. Half of her was deadly afraid of it, but the other half was intrigued by the bright colors. They remind her of the scraps of fabric her mother would steal from the sewing factory where she worked. In a moment of courage, she took the comic upstairs and hid under her covers to read it. And just like that, she was hooked. The story was full of heroes fighting off villains and saving the day. It was exciting, and in the end, the good guys won. And she believed the heroes. The protagonist of the story seemed truly good, unlike any of the BL/Ind approved stories they read in class, which were about how BL/Ind converted Battery City into a shining utopia. But when Ida went on the streets, she didn’t see the bright paradise Battery City claimed it was. All she could see were Ritalin Rats and androids hooked on plus. Tomorrow, she promised herself, she would ask for another comic, even if they were outlawed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, Threads. Hey, wake up.” Threads opened her eyes, waiting for the world to come into focus. “We’re here,” Wires said. I must’ve fallen asleep on the drive, Threads thought to herself, rubbing the blurriness out of her eyes. </p><p>“Where are the Poisons?” she said. </p><p>“They’re already inside. C’mon, let’s get going.” Wires and Threads hopped out of the car and walked towards the diner. A blast of cool air hit them as they walked in, a welcome relief from the scorching desert heat. </p><p>“Stereo Threads! Static Wires! My favorite customers. What can I do for y’all today?” Hidden Wind said, from behind the counters.</p><p>“I finished the sewing,” Threads said, dumping a pile of jackets, gloves, and other articles of clothing on the counter. Hidden Wind picked them up, ruffling through the heap. Counting them out, she opened up a box of carbons. </p><p>“That’s fifteen,” she said, handing over the cash. “Someone dropped off a pair of boots with the seams ripped out, you can pick those up on your way out.” Threads nodded. There was a reason her name was Threads, after all. If anyone in the outer zones needed something patched up, they knew to drop it off at the daydream diner, and Threads would stop by to pick it up. Customers paid Hidden Wind the money, and she would take a carbon or two and give the rest to Threads when she stopped by with the completed clothing. Threads usually stitched the clothing while Wires was driving and looking for scraps of metal or wood she could scavenge from the desert. Wires had only been able to find some wires and a glass bottle, so she traded that in for the parts she needed for the Bone Jeep. Threads tugged on Wires’ shoulder.</p><p>“C’mon, we need PowerPup. We’re practically starving.”</p><p>“Okay. I’ll go get some carbons from the car, and the water bottle.” Threads waited for her, leaning on the table. </p><p>“Hey, can we get some PowerPup here?” she asked the teenager behind the counter. They turned around, slightly startled. </p><p>“Yeah, of course,” they replied, turning to the shelf behind them. Wires appeared at Threads’ shoulder and ruffled Threads’ hair. Threads pushed her hand away, but really, she didn’t want Wires to stop. “Will that be all?” the teen said, setting the container on the counter.</p><p>“No, I think I’m forgetting something…” Wires said, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “Sorry, you’re so cute, it’s hard to think straight,” she said, flashing them a wide smile. The teenager flushed, and Threads flinched. She should be used to it by now; Wires flirted with everyone she crossed paths with. She’d even dated System Strychnine for a while. That was a hard summer. She hadn’t been able to get away from them, and it hurt to see their faces. But besides, it wasn’t like Wires would ever love her; who’d fall for a shy Batt outta hell? </p><p>“We also need water,” Threads deadpanned, her monotone voice covering up a myriad of emotions. The teen behind the counter pursed their lips.</p><p>“There’s been a shortage recently….” they said, in an uncertain voice.</p><p>“Bullshit. There’s always a shortage. We live in a desert, for Destroya’s sake,” Wires responded, frustration leaking into her voice. </p><p>“It’ll still be eleven carbons,” they said.</p><p>“Eleven? For a small water bottle? I’m not paying more than eight.”</p><p>“Ten.”</p><p>“Fine.” They filled up the bottle and Wires handed over the carbons. </p><p>“Nice doing business with ya,” she said, giving them an elaborate bow. The teen blushed again, red climbing up their cheeks. Threads grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the diner. </p><p>“You’ve got work to do. You’ve got to fix the heater, right? Stop acting like a screwhead,” Threads said.</p><p>“Psh. You can be such a lawyer sometimes, ya know that?” Threads sighed and climbed into the vehicle. The gas was low.</p><p>“We should stop by a Dead Pegasus tomorrow,” Threads said.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. I’ll do that once I get the heater fixed,” Wires said absentmindedly, pulling out wrenches and screwdrivers from a crate. Threads worked on stitching the boots in the Bone Jeep, stretched out on the floor of the backseat while Wires worked on the heater underneath. After a while, she could feel her eyes starting to close, and she stifled a yawn. </p><p>“Go inside,” Threads heard from under the jeep. “Get some rest.” So Threads took a blanket from the crate and walked into the diner. Spotting an empty booth, she curled up against the cracked red leather and was asleep in minutes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Threads woke up to the sun slowly filtering in through the large windows. She looked across the table, expecting to see Wires, but the booth was empty. Walking over and peering through the window, squinting against the bright sun, she saw the Bone Jeep was gone, too. Furrowing her brow, she wandered over to where System Strychnine and Toxic Tragedy were playing some sort of card game. </p><p>“Do you know where Wires is?” she asked them.</p><p>“I believe she woke up early to get gas,” System Strychnine said. Threads nodded.</p><p>“Do you want to play the winner? The game’s called Fool. I’ll teach you how to play,” System Strychnine said, putting a card down while Toxic Tragedy searched for one in her hand. Threads stared at them, and a picture of Wires kissing System Strychnine by the fire flashed behind her eyes. </p><p>“I’ll just watch,” she said, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to Toxic Tragedy. </p><p>“Suit yourself.” They played in silence for a bit longer, until System Strychnine said, “So what’s with you and Static Wires?”</p><p>“What?” Threads looked at her, confused.</p><p>“Is she your favorite record? Or are you just P Amies?” I wish, Threads thought to herself.</p><p>“No, everything’s platonic,” she said instead. System Strychnine glanced sideways at her.</p><p>“If you say so.” The card game resumed, and Threads sat in silence, listening to the chatter around her. Vintage Venom sat down next to her. </p><p>“Arsenic said I should talk to you. Said you’re a Batt outta hell like me.” Threads glanced at her.</p><p>“Well, I am.” Venom stared at her, waiting for her to say more.</p><p>“I’m curious how you managed to drag yourself through five zones by yourself. I had a friend when I hit the red line, but it was hard, even then,” Threads finally said.<br/>“Well, let me tell you, the first weeks were pretty rough-” Venom then launched into a story about how she begged for scraps from some runners. Threads nodded, half-listening.</p><p>“-It’s kinda weird when you first get out here, you’re always hungry or thirsty and you feel like you’re gonna die of it but after a while, it kinda fades and you don’t notice it as much. Kinda chilly, innit?”</p><p>“Yeah, I feel you, kid,” Threads said with a bitter smile. Toxic Tragedy looked up at her.</p><p>“Yeah, hunger’s a real gravity, man,” she said. Threads turned back to Venom.</p><p>“Well, what’s the first thing you wanna do now you’ve got stable power?” Venom’s eyes lit up. </p><p>“I’m gonna learn guitar. Gonna be a real string king, like the ones on the radio.” Threads smiled.</p><p>“You go for it, kid.” Suddenly, the Bone Jeep screeched to a stop in front of the diner, and Wires stumbled out of the car. Threads ran outside and could see Wires clutching her arm, red leaking through her fingers. </p><p>“I got the gas,” she said weakly, her smile shot through with pain. And then her eyes fluttered, and she collapsed in Threads’ arms.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ida walked into the classroom, her head full of images from the comic book. But when she looked around the classroom, she couldn’t see Anna anywhere. </p><p>“Ms. Harriet?” she asked, wandering up to her teacher’s desk, “Do you know where Anna is?” For a brief second, her teacher’s expression was laced with fear. But the moment passed, and her face smoothed. </p><p>“Anna isn’t with us anymore. If you mention her again, Ida, I’m afraid I will have to report you.” Ida nodded, her mind going a mile a minute. She had heard of people disappearing, ones who went against BL/Ind’s orders, but it didn’t seem real. Now it was very, very real. But Ida wasn’t going to throw away the comic book. Because it had given her hope. Hope that things would get better, hope that her mother wouldn’t have to skip meals to feed Ida, hope that her mother wouldn’t always be afraid of getting caught stealing fabric from the factory she worked at. No, Ida wouldn’t be throwing away the comic anytime soon, even if it did put a layer of danger on her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Threads looked over Wires’ limp body, trying to figure out what had caused the bleeding. Wires’ jacket was tied around her waist and the sleeve of her black t-shirt was ripped to shreds. It looked as though she had gotten glass shards in her upper arm and her right hand. Threads ran inside.</p><p>“Hidden Wind! I need tweezers, please, do you have any?” Hidden Wind looked up from where she was working.</p><p>“Slow your roll, I think I have some in the back,” she said. In a few seconds, she was back and handed them to her.</p><p>“Thank you so much,” Threads gasped, and ran outside to where Wires had collapsed on the ground. Wires’ eyes had opened, and she looked at the tweezers in Threads’ with menace. </p><p>“This is going to hurt a lot,” Threads said apologetically. She took Wires’ arm and pulled out the first shard of glass with the tweezers. Wires gritted her teeth and stifled a scream. But after ten minutes, Threads had managed to extract all the glass. </p><p>“Are there any painkillers?” Wires said weakly.</p><p>“No, and I’m not buying you Battery Acid,” Threads said, searching in the back of the Bone Jeep for bandages. She found them in one of the crates and jumped down to wrap up Wires’ arm and hand. She took the bottle of water and poured some on Wires’ wounds, flinching when the water dropped on to the ground, creating a sour milk. She wrapped up Wires’ arm and hand and got her into the Bone Jeep.</p><p>“Well, I’ll guess I’ll be driving for the next couple of days,” Threads said. She turned to Wires. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” Wires opened her eyes.</p><p>“I was getting gas at the Dead Pegasus, right? But there were Cherries and Berries there, probably patrolling. Managed to ghost a couple of them. But shit went all Costa Rica, and I dodged a pig and fell out of the car onto a broken glass bottle. Managed to get glass in my hand, too.” They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, Wires closing her eyes and leaning back against the seat.</p><p>“Well, what do you want to do?” Threads said.</p><p>“There’s nothing for us here. You have your sewing. I heard of some old wrecks, some BL/Ind cars and shit, over to the north of zone six. By the time we get there, I’ll probably be well enough to scavenge it for parts,” Wires said, her eyes still closed.</p><p>“Okay.” So Threads hit the gas, and they were off.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ida stood in the mirror, admiring her handiwork. She had taken a piece of black fabric from her mother’s stash, cut eye holes in it, and tied it around her head. She smiled. She looked just like her favorite character from her comic book.</p><p>“Ida, come down for dinner. The Garcias will be here soon. We invited them for dinner, remember?” her mother called upstairs. There was a heavy knock at the door.<br/>“That must be them,” her mother said, opening the door. Ida heard a stifled scream and ran downstairs. Instead of their neighbors, three Draculoids were at the door, along with a S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W. </p><p>“Oh no,” her mother said, her voice quiet with fear. </p><p>“You are being arrested for the theft of BL/Ind materials,” the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W said in an unconcerned voice, as the Draculoids moved to grab Ida’s mother’s arm. She glanced at Ida, panic written clearly on her face.</p><p>“Run” Ida dashed out the door leading to the fire escape.</p><p>“Get the child,” the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W said, his voice merely irritated. As Ida climbed down, she could hear footsteps following her. She jumped off the bottom step of the ladder, and without looking back, ran as far as she could.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Within the next couple of days, Wires’ arm had healed well, and she was well enough to strip a BL/Ind motorcycle for parts. They stayed in zone five for a while, Threads finishing her sewing and Wires finding parts that she could sell.</p><p>“Yo, dust darling, look at this!” Wires said with a childish smile on her face. Threads sighed and turned around. Wires was holding a sharp branch and speared through it was a frog. Or at least, it resembled a frog, but radiation never left things alone. </p><p>“You’re not going to eat that, are you? It’s chock full of radiation. We’re in a fucking maple plaza, for Destroya’s sake.”</p><p>“Well, I’m not going hungry tonight. You can eat birch if you want.”</p><p>“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Wires squinted at her and threw the frog away. </p><p>“Fine. Just for you.”</p><p>“Thank you.” They sat in silence, sharing a can of PowerPup.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, kid, are you all right?” Ida woke to a hand pushing her shoulder, and she opened her eyes to a teenager with short orange hair and freckles covering her face. Ida was curled up in an alley, and the girl kept shaking her shoulder.</p><p>“What’s your name?” The girl said, looking slightly concerned now. “Where’s your home?”</p><p>“I’m Ida,” Ida said, sitting up. “My mom was arrested by BL/Ind.” Ida’s eyes started to blur.</p><p>“Oh, you poor thing.” The girl crouched down beside Ida. “I’m Lithium Ghost. I’m leaving this city. I’ve been a Juvie Hall for three years, and nothing’s changed. You can’t change this place from the inside out. I’ve already had my homecoming parade; I’m going to be a killjoy. Do you want to come with me? You already have a mask.” Ida touched the piece of black fabric around her face, remembering when she put it on yesterday. It seemed so long ago.</p><p>“Yes. I’m coming with you,” Ida said, a spark of defiance lighting inside her.</p><p>“Good. It’ll be nice to have a friend on my journey. You need a name, though,” Lithium Ghost said. Ida thought carefully for a minute, and then said,</p><p>“Threads. Stereo Threads.”</p><p>“That’s a great name. Better than I could come up with on the spot. Up you go.” Ghost grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Now that Threads could see her face in the light, she looked familiar. Suddenly, it came to her.</p><p>“Do you have a younger sister? Named Anna?” she said. Ghost whipped around.</p><p>“Do you know her? I haven’t heard anything from her since I became a Juvie Hall. Is she alright?”</p><p>“She was in my class. I think she was taken by BL/Ind.” Ghost nodded, her face a mask of steely resolve. </p><p>“Well, there’s nothing left for me in this city, then. Let’s get going.” She offered her hand to Threads, and they started walking towards the desert.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, is that the Poisons?” Wires looked up from where she was spray-painting her ray gun. She seemed to change the color every other week.</p><p>“Yeah, I think it is.” Toxic Tragedy waved at them, and Wires waved back. After a minute, the Poisons had reached them, and they sat down next to Threads.</p><p>“How’s the static been treating ya?” Wires said.</p><p>“Pretty good. We wanted to show you something,” Agent Arsenic said, and pulled out a flyer from her jacket. “Phantom and the Forgottens” The flyer screamed at the top, “With a guest appearance by Sleeping Through Sundays.” </p><p>“Dude, I love Phantom and the Forgottens,” Wires said, reading the flyer. “We have one of their cassettes, don’t we?” Threads nodded.</p><p>“I think it was their second record. It was pretty shiny,” she said.</p><p>“C’mon, darling, we’ve got to go,” Wires said to Threads.</p><p>“I don’t know…” Threads said. “Where is it?”</p><p>“It’s in zone four,” Agent Arsenic said. “But if you end up going, you might want to stay away from the picket fence.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Well, remember the Halo Head movement I told y’all about? Apparently, they’ve organized a march or something, and they’re going through the zones with signs and stuff. I heard they burned a Batt Rat owned store.” Wires and Threads exchanged a look.</p><p>“Is there a leader?” Threads asked.</p><p>“Yeah, some guy called Fake Raven. He’s a real Spearey. I don’t think his followers even care about the cause; Fake Raven can sweet-talk anyone into anything.”</p><p>“That does it. We’re not going,” Threads said.</p><p>“What?” Wires said, a look of shock and indignation on her face. “C’mon, it’s gonna be mega! We never go to any concerts!”</p><p>“Yeah, cause if we did, you’d start acting like a Rongee Kay,”</p><p>“Oh, so it’s about me now?”</p><p>“No, I didn’t say-”</p><p>“Yes, you did! You’re such a fucking lawyer, Threads,”</p><p>“It’s dangerous!”</p><p>“That’s not even the point! I’m going to the concert, with or without you.” Threads sighed.</p><p>“By Destroya, fine, I’ll come with you.” Wires squealed and threw herself onto Threads.</p><p>“Thank you! You’re the best!” Wires said in her sweetest voice. The floral scent of her hair filled Threads’ nose, and she reluctantly pushed Wires off of her. </p><p>“You’re welcome,” Threads said sarcastically, and they all laughed.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Threads and Ghost sat around the campfire, eating what was left of their PowerPup.</p><p>“How’re you doing, kiddo?” Ghost asked. But before Threads could reply, they heard a scream off in the distance. Ghost and Threads stood up quickly, Ghost’s hand going to her ray gun. </p><p>“Where did it come from?” Ghost said quietly.</p><p>“I think it was up over that hill.” They ran over to the hill and peered over the rocks. There was a whole cloud of Dracs and a small girl about Threads’ age. The girl was fighting as hard as she could, but she was hopelessly outnumbered. Silently, Ghost raised her ray gun and shot one of the pigs straight through the head. He dropped to the ground, lifeless.</p><p>“What was that?” Threads heard the other Dracs say. </p><p>“Stay here,” Ghost whispered to Threads, and she jumped over the rocks, shooting two more Dracs. Suddenly, a flurry of noise and sound erupted, stirring up the dust and sand. Threads squinted, trying to make out what was happening. Finally, once the sand had settled, she could see the Dracs lying motionless on the sand, and Ghost helping the little girl up. </p><p>“What’s your name? And pronouns?” Ghost said. The girl looked up at her.</p><p>“Static Wires. She/her,” the girl said.</p><p>“Do you have a gang? Or a family?” Ghost asked her.</p><p>“No. My parents died in a firefight a few years ago.”</p><p>“Well, do you want to join us?” Ghost asked. Wires looked at her apprehensively. </p><p>“Sure,” she said at last. Ghost smiled.</p><p>“Great to have you on board, kiddo.”</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Threads pulled a skirt on over her leggings while she waited for Wires to get changed. She still didn’t think this concert was a good idea, but she didn't have the strength to argue with Wires. Wires stepped out of the jeep, twirling around in the red dress Threads had made for her. She only wore it for special occasions, like concerts or when they went to visit the graves.</p><p>“C’mon, get in!” Wires said, pulling on Threads’ arm. “I’m so excited!” Threads looked at her wide smile, and her fears slipped away. The expression on Wires’ face was worth it. Threads switched on the radio, and leaned back against the seat, the wind ruffling her hair.</p><p>After driving for thirty minutes, they arrived. A stage was set up in the desert, and people were milling around while band members set up microphones and plugged in amps. Wires ran off, immediately joining three people in conversation. While Wires became best friends with everyone at the show, Threads stood on the fringe of the crowd, waiting for the show to start. The leader of Phantoms and the Forgottens stepped up and tapped the mic.</p><p>“Hey, zone four! How are you doing?” they said, their voice booming through the amps. The crowd roared. “We’re gonna play a couple songs for y’all tonight,” they said. “Is that alright with you?” The crowd yelled even louder. The band started playing, people in the crowd jumping up and down. Threads clapped along, shouting out lyrics to the songs she knew. Most concerts were pretty hit or miss, but this one was rather enjoyable, if a bit loud. After a while, the smile creeping on her face had reached her eyes. 'I wonder where Wires is,' she thought, when the band announced that this would be their last song. Shaking her head of the bright lights, she pushed her way through the mass of people. She caught a glimpse of Wires’ fluorescent hair and was about to shout her name, but the words died on Threads’ lips. Wires had her eyes closed, her hands tangled in a boy’s long streaked-green black hair. She was passionately kissing him, taking gasps for air between kisses. The boy’s hands were on her waist, lost in the folds of her jacket. Threads stood there in complete shock until Wires glanced at her, doing a double-take. </p><p>“Oh,” she said, untangling herself from the boy. “Threads,” Threads could feel her cheeks turning red, her eyes blurring. She turned and ran towards the Bone Jeep.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey,” Wires said, sliding into the driver’s seat. “Listen, Threads, I-”</p><p>“Just drive.”</p><p>“Threads, I’m-”</p><p>“Drive, Wires. I don’t want to hear it.” Wires sighed and hit the gas pedal. </p><p>“Why do you even care who I kiss?” Wires said, frustration leaking into her voice.</p><p>“Because I live with you!” Threads said. And because I love you, she thought. Wires glanced at her, halfway begging.</p><p>“I’m really sorry.” Threads looked at her. The apology seemed to be genuine, and Threads’ resentment was fading away. It wasn’t gone, but the heat was cooling, a hard rock of jealousy sinking to the pit of her stomach.</p><p>“Is there anything I can do?” Wires asked.</p><p>“You can keep your hands to yourself, for a start,” Threads said. “And you can buy me some more blue hair dye. My hair’s fading.” Wires gave her a small smile. </p><p>“Okay. I’ll drive to the diner,” she said. The rest of the ride was quiet.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Threads and Wires stared at the still body in front of them. Bodies of dracs were littered around them, but Wires and Threads paid no attention to them. They only stared at Ghost’s unseeing eyes, as tears slowly began to drip down Thread’s face. Wires turned towards her.</p><p>“No, no, no, don’t cry, we’ll get through this,” she said. Threads stared at her.</p><p>“She’s dead,” Threads said softly. Wires nodded solemnly.</p><p>“We need to bury her,” Wires said.</p><p>“Yeah,” </p><p>“Is there a shovel?”</p><p>“I think there’s one in the back. Get the map, too,” Threads said numbly. Wires stood up, almost robotically. She returned with the map and two shovels a minute later and marked the place they stood. She handed a shovel to Threads and they started digging, struggling against the unyielding desert sand. </p><p>Once the hole was big enough, they set the shovels down.</p><p>“Should I get some fabric? For the body?” Wires asked. Threads’ mind flashed back to when she and Ghost had been staring up at the night sky, huddled around a fire. </p><p>“When I die,” Ghost had said, “Don’t get me a coffin or a body bag. I want future killjoys to be able to appreciate this shiny skeleton.” Ghost had beamed her a morbid smile, and Threads had giggled despite herself. At the time, Threads had thought she would never need to use that information. At that moment, they had seemed immortal. <br/>But everyone lives forever until they die, and here she was, burying Ghost’s limp body. No, not limp. Dead. A corpse. Threads shook her head to clear it, trying to focus solely on the dirt her shovel was tossing out of the hole. They took off Ghost’s mask, a black and white bandanna with aviator sunglasses, and laid her body in the grave. After they had filled it back up, Wires stuck a piece of scrap wood on the top as a marker. “LITHIUM GHOST,” she spray-painted on it in green. On the grave itself, Wires spray-painted “keep running” in red. Wiping tears away with the back of her hand, Threads got in the Bone Jeep.</p><p>“Do you know where the nearest mailbox is?” Threads said as Wires climbed in the driver’s seat.</p><p>“Yeah,” she said quietly, and shoved her foot a little too hard against the gas pedal.</p><p>Half an hour later, they arrived at the mailbox. Threads dropped Ghost’s mask inside while Wires added Ghost’s name in spray paint to the collage of names on the ground around the mailbox.</p><p>“May the Phoenix Witch accept this soul,” Wires said softly. They walked back to the car in silence.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Woah, what’s that?” Threads’ eyes snapped open. She stood up, staring at the scene set out in front of her. They had arrived at the diner, but they weren’t the only ones there. About fifty people were out in front of the diner, most of them holding signs and torches. </p><p>“What are they chanting?” Threads said, stumbling out of the car.</p><p>“It’s the halo heads.” Wires gasped. Threads’ stomach dropped. She could hear the chanting clearly now: “Batt Rats go home!” Wires and Threads scrambled over to where Hidden Wind was standing, trying to fend off the crowd.</p><p>“Is there anything we can do to help?” Wires shouted above the yells.</p><p>“Not really. They want to burn down the diner,” Hidden Wind grunted, grabbing a megaphone from a kid who ran out of the diner. “Thanks, kid,” The boy nodded. Suddenly, a paperboy appeared, panting and out of breath. </p><p>“Hidden Wind!” he said, trying to catch his breath, “There’s a cavalry,”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Yeah, coming this way, a whole cloud, there’s a ton of ‘em. You better start to hum hallelujah,” Panic flashed over Hidden Wind’s face. In an act of pure spontaneity, Threads grabbed the megaphone and climbed onto the roof. </p><p>“What are you doing?” Wires shouted from below, her face pale.</p><p>“Just trust me!” Threads turned to face the crowd. She could see who she assumed was Fake Raven, his hair an oil slick of black against the pale desert. In the distance, she could see the Poisons running over to help.</p><p>“HEY!” Threads shouted through the megaphone. The crowd quieted and looked up at her. A tremble of fear rushed through her, but she steadied her nerves and raised the megaphone.</p><p>“So. You guys probably don’t wanna listen to me. I’m a Batt outta hell. But if you do decide to pay attention to the words I’m gonna say, maybe things will end up better for all of us.”</p><p>“Gemini!” someone shouted from the crowd. Threads flinched. </p><p>“I’m not a spy,” she said, struggling to keep her voice steady. Her eyes made contact with Wires’, who nodded and snapped the visor of her bike helmet closed. “If I wanted to work for BL/Ind, I would’ve just stayed in Batt City. D’you really think I risked my life trying to get out of there if I worked for them? I lost my mother to BL/Ind, and you still have the audacity to call me a Gemini? I’ve risked more than any of you sand pups.” Her voice was getting louder, buoyed by passion and rage. “I left everything I knew to come here, to the desert, so I could fight for what’s right. Because that’s the real purpose of a KillJoy. A KillJoy is someone who fights for what they believe in, not someone who works to divide us. We are in this desert for one reason: To take down BL/Ind. And the only way we can do that is if we set aside our differences and work together. In fact,” Threads paused, listening to the rumble of motorcycles off in the distance, “there’s a cavalry coming this way, and if we aren’t able to fight side by side, we’ll never survive. Killjoys,” she paused, her eyes hard, looking out over the crowd, “make some noise.” A shot rang out and the firefight began.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pulling out her blaster and squinting to see through the dust that always got kicked up in a clash, Threads turned around just in time to see a drac with his blaster pointed at her. She kicked him in the stomach, and the shot went wild, missing her by a few feet. She aimed her ray gun at him and pulled the trigger, and slammed her elbow into the torso of another drac. There were a lot of pigs, but she was able to hold her own, and her only injury so far was a bloody nose from when a drac flung his arm into her face. She caught glimpses of protesters and poisons fighting, and she could hear yells and shouts, but her thoughts had been reduced to a single concept, as they always did in a gunfight: survival. After fighting off dracs for a while, it seemed they were retreating. She allowed herself a small smile of victory. Suddenly, she saw a drac with his ray gun aimed at Fake Raven. She ran over, but he pulled the trigger before she could tackle him. The blast seemed to move in slow motion, and she saw Vintage Venom dash in front of Fake Raven. The blast hit Venom straight in the chest. Threads' heart skipped a beat, and she heard a wail from Agent Arsenic, who ran over to where Fake Raven was holding Vintage Venom. </p><p>“Why?” Arsenic asked, tears sliding on to Venom’s face.</p><p>“No one deserves to die,” Threads heard before Venom let out a last, shaky breath. Another scream tore itself from Arsenic’s throat.</p><p>“This child had more honesty and courage than you will ever have,” she yelled at Fake Raven, “You should have died instead of her!” Silver Cyanide grabbed Arsenic’s shoulder and brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. Arsenic didn’t fight her but there was still fire in her eyes.</p><p>“Hey,” she said softly, her voice thick with tears not yet fallen. “We have to honor Venom. If you pull a ray gun on that man, Venom will have died in vain. All we can do now is offer her spirit to the Phoenix Witch.” Arsenic nodded and leaned forward so her forehead was against Cyanide’s. As the last drac’s scream rang out, Threads could see tears dripping onto the parched ground.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Almost a week later, Threads and Wires were lying in the bone jeep, watching the sun sink behind sand and dust. Threads thought back to Venom’s funeral, and the look in Toxic Tragedy’s eyes as they dropped the mask in the mailbox. Being a Killjoy, her mortality was always present, but Venom’s death seemed to bring it closer. The funeral was a slap in the face. Life was short. And if Threads wanted anything, she knew now that she wouldn’t always have the chance to get it. She propped herself up on her elbows and turned to Wires.</p><p>“Hey, Wires?” </p><p>“Yeah?” Wires’ eyes were full of the sunset.</p><p>“I- I like you.”</p><p>“I like you, too, dust darling.”<br/>“But, like- more than… friends.” Wires sat up and looked her straight in the eyes. </p><p>“You’re joking.”</p><p>“No, I’m not.” Wires studied her face, and Threads felt her heart sink.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ha-” Suddenly, Wires tackled her, pressing her lips to Threads’. </p><p>“So, is that a yes?” Threads said after a moment of stunned silence. Wires let a small laugh out.</p><p>“Destroya, Threads, you can be so thick.” Wires laughed, and Threads felt a rush of relief turn into her own laugh.</p><p>“I thought you would never love me,” Wires said, and her eyes went softer than Threads had ever seen them. “I tried flirting with you, but… You never seemed to have any interest in me.”</p><p>“What? But you flirt with everyone! What about System Strychnine, or the Killjoy at the concert?”</p><p>“Do you know how hard it is to be in love with your best friend?” Threads could see pain and the reflection of the red sky in her eyes. “I had to distract myself, or I felt like I would burn up. You know why System Strychnine broke up with me?” Thread shook her head. “She saw the way I looked at you. She said that she wouldn’t date someone who liked someone else.” Threads could see the suffering in Wires’ eyes, and Threads pulled her close.</p><p>“Well, we’re here now,” Threads said.</p><p>“Yeah.” They spent the rest of the evening watching the sunset, hand in hand.</p>
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